Archive for the Category »Giveaways «

Christmas in July

228562681Today in the mail I received a book, a manicure set, a tote bag, sunglasses, sun tan lotion and a pair of red, white and blue flip flops from Julia London. I’m a sucker for contests that involve books and seems like I finally won one. Thanks Julia!

If you like contests try Fresh Fiction–they’re having a Christmas in July celebration. Almost every prize involves a book but some are also adding a Christmas slant. A friend of mine, mystery writer Gayle Trent, is in on the fun with print copies of two of her Daphne Martin Cake Decorating Mystery series and an audio recording of an earlier book Between a Clutch and A Hard Place plus a Christmas ornament. Enter here

It’s the perfect time to catch up on Gayle’s earlier books since she’s launching a new series: The Seven Year Stitch on August 3. Check out her Facebook that day because she’s having tons of fun and prizes.

Noticed from writing this post that my fingers seem to consistently spell invovle(oops, I mean involve)wrong. Have that problem with any words?

When a Woman Takes an Axe to a Wall

allegraWhat has always annoyed me are the pink tools. You’ve probably seen them in catalogs—an adorable little tool kit with screwdrivers, wrenches, pliers, level and measuring tape all in bright pink. I don’t know about all you ladies out there but I would feel embarrassed to use those tools.

What is the thinking behind these tools? Pink makes the job more fun? Women feel more confident when surrounded by something familiar(pink)? Women think normal tools are ugly?

Anyway, they’ve always made me crazy and apparently I’m not the only one. Allegra Bennett has written a book about women frequently found with axes, floor sanders, blueprints, and electric drills—and none of them are pink!

If you–or someone in your life–is a DIY-er, leave a comment for a chance to win Allegra Bennett’s When a Woman Takes an Axe to a Wall(Where is She Really Trying to Go?).

When a Women Takes an Axe to a Wall(Where is She Really Trying to Go?)

Author: Allegra Bennett

Paperback: 144 pages(also available with DVD)

Publisher: The Writer’s Lair Books (May 13, 2006)

Synposis:

Allegra Bennett tells the stories of dozens of women in When a Woman Takes an Axe to a Wall through one common scope: their homes. The homes they lived in, the homes they built, the homes they bought, the homes they renovated, the homes they lost. Using that one common thing to bind them together Allegra manages to include a wide variety of women. Homeowners who are struggling and those who are wealthy. Women who drag out an axe and tear down walls themselves and women hiring contractors. Women who are interior designers and women who oversee construction sites. Each telling how a home changed their life.

Review:

This was not the book I expected. From the title I was expecting a series of chapters about women’s renovation projects—sort of The Home and Garden Channel comes to a bookstore near you book. There were a few chapter like that but Allegra’s book covered much more than “how to fix a house”. Instead it covered what fixing(or buying or building)a house meant to these women. It made me think about my own house and how I felt about it.

This surprising book was a fast moving roller coaster with two dozen tales from a variety of women. It takes you from laughing to crying to shouting “I am woman, hear me roar.” It would be a fun and unique housewarming gift. With the exception of the chapter that trashed male contractors(my husband happens to be a male contractor)I truly enjoyed the book.

Question: Do you own tools? Have you ever done a home renovation or repair?

Don’t forget to leave a comment for a chance to win the giveaway of When a Woman Takes an Axe to a Wall(Where is She Really Trying to Go?) between today and Tues., June 15 at midnight(EST). And tell your friends to stop by and enter!

New Giveaway

bm3bm2Giveaway Changes

Someone who knows much more about blogging than I do suggested that I not start giveaways or contests on Fridays. Because of that I’ve change book review and/or giveaway day to Wednesday. So we’ll see how that goes for attracting entries. Tell all your friends!

In My Book

Being in the writing/editing/PR business I meet a lot of authors. This results in a lot of bookmarks–the author’s version of the business card. Then there are three kids who often make bookmarks as projects at school, library, etc. and that adds up to a lot of bookmarks. I used to just say, “Where did all these bookmarks come from?” Now I say, “I collect bookmarks.” Sounds much better, don’t you think? And since I’ve become a “collector” I’ve come across some fabulous bookmarks.

Today’s giveaway is a bookmark plus. So when is a bookmark more than a bookmark? When it starts out as a greeting card. How many times have you given a book as a gift? My kids, nieces and nephews know it’s a given that they’ll receive a book from me! And then you buy a greeting card to go along with the gift. Where does that greeting card eventually end up? In the garbage. I’ve always hated that part of giving greeting cards. We spend all that time choosing something that is headed straight for the recycling bin. But that doesn’t have to be your greeting card’s fate.

In My Book began ten years ago as an idea from New Yorker Robin Blum to combine greeting cards and bookmarks. She teamed up with illustrator Meredith Hamilton  to create tiny works of art. There are 15 different designs and I want them all! Some are for general book lovers while others are for those who enjoy mysteries, cookbooks, poetry, romance, novels. These bookmarks are about 8″ x 3″ and come in impressive bright red envelopes. After their job as a greeting card is over, you gently separate the front and back covers along the perforation to create a bookmark.

You can order these greeting card/bookmarks on the In My Book website or encourage your local bookstore or gift shop to carry them. They’ll be great for all those graduation and wedding gifts that will be coming up soon. I recommend Dr Seuss’s Oh, The Places You’ll Go for graduates and Better Homes New Cookbook for newlyweds. We’ve missed Mother’s Day but you can still get one for your favorite dad.

And you have a chance to win a greeting card donated by In My Book!
(FYI: They also gave me a bookmark.) Just leave a comment by midnight Tuesday, June 2.

Category: Giveaways, News  11 Comments

And the Winner Is…

Linda Neas! Congratulations Linda on winning Cindy Hudson’s Book by Book: The Complete Guide to Creating Mother-Daughter Book Clubs. Have fun with your granddaughters.

My next giveaway will be some fabulous handmade bookmarks on Friday, May 28. Don’t miss it.

Book by Book: The Complete Guide to Creating Mother-Daughter Book Clubs

I’ve never been in a book club. But when my older daughter started wanting to read the mysteries from the adult floor of our library in fourth or fifth grade we started a club of sorts. She would check out books. I would read them wildly, sometimes all in one night searching for gratuitous sex and/or violence(she was ten), then turn the mom-approved books over to her. Suppertime conversations would often include a “Did you get to the part where…?” We moved on to reading Harry Potter aloud as well as many other books that one of us would give to the other with a recommendation. Sometimes we both liked them, sometimes not. But it often gave us something to talk about at a time when daughters just aren’t interested in talking to moms. She’s in college but we still occasionally pass books back and forth. And now my younger daughter has gotten in on the act. But it’s a whole different story. Instead of mysteries and fantasy, I’m reading non-fiction books about Eygpt and other ancient cultures. I wish I had started a decade earlier with them. If only someone had told me about mother-daughter book clubs. I’m out of daughters but am considering starting a book club with my young son in a few years.

If you think you might enjoy reading with your daughters, leave a comment by midnight EST on Wednesday, May 19 for a chance to win Cindy Hudson’s Book by Book: The Complete Guide to Creating Mother-Daughter Book Clubs. Check back on Friday, May 21 to see if you’re the winner!

Book by Book: The Complete Guide to Creating Mother-Daughter Book Clubs

Author: Cindy Hudsonbookbybooka

Paperback: 312 pages(also available as Kindle)

Publisher: Seal Press (September 22, 2009)

Synposis:

Mothers and daughters share a special bond. . . why not further this bond through reading together? Book clubs have been growing in popularity over the past ten years, started by a variety of people with various interests and goals. Mother-daughter book clubs offer a great way for families to grow and share — with each other and with other mother-daughter pairs. In Book by Book Cindy Hudson offers all the how-to tips mothers need to start their own successful book clubs. Hudson offers her own firsthand experience as the founder of two long-running successful mother-daughter book clubs.

Hudson offers suggestions on books topics, club guidelines, and how to keep the club going as daughters grow older. How big should the club be? Whom should we invite? How often should we meet? How do we make sure we actually read the books? Hudson has all the answers. With recommended book lists (divided by four age groups), online resources, and suggested recipes for book-club treats, Book by Book is a great resource for helping moms and daughters form new memories and traditions.

Review:

CindyauthopicHave you ever heard any idea that in theory sounds great…but in reality you have no idea how to pull it off? So many things fall into this category for me—including a mother-daughter book club. Hudson’s book covers everything I could think of from club size to club selections to extra activities to the problems that inevitably crop up with any group. What I like most about Hudson’s book, aside from the step by step instructions, is the openness of her plans. There is no “this is the right way to do it” directive. Instead Hudson allows readers to design their own group telling readers the advantages and disadvantages of each decision.

Hudson gives you everything you need to start your book club. In addition to suggestions about forming a group, there are book suggestions, discussion questions, favorite recipes for book club meetings. Throughout the book there are also quotes and stories from moms and daughters in book clubs together telling about their experiences. I can’t see how anyone can read this book and not want to at least give book clubbing with their daughtera try

Don’t forget to leave a comment for a chance to win the giveaway of Book by Book: The Complete Guide to Creating Mother-Daughter Book Clubs. And tell your friends to stop by and enter!

Tell us about a book you enjoyed so much you recommended it to a friend!

May All Your Dreams Come True

brendaThanks to Gayle Trent for telling me about this Brenda Novack’s Annual Online Auction for Diabetes Research. This is the auction’s sixth year and they’re hoping to hit the million dollar mark! The prizes are a reader’s and writer’s paradise: autographed books, critiques by authors in your genre, writing convention packages, lunch with your dream agent(lunch!).

OMG! I want everything! Stop by and check it out. At the least, just for fun but hopefully to place a bid. Not only could you win a great prize but you could help diabetes research. And tell all your friends!

Stop by and tell me if you put in a bid on anything(or even just wish you could). I haven’t finished looking(and dreaming)but tomorrow I’ll let you know what I bid on.

Not an April Fool’s Joke

Although I haven’t jumped on the e-book bandwagon yet a friend sent me some info to share with you if you have.

Front Street Books, a division of the publishing house Boyds Mill Press, is giving away four of their books until April 1. If you’ve never heard of Boyds Mill or Front Street maybe you’ve heard of the big daddy they both belong to—Highlights for Children. These four free books are novels for middle and high school readers and come with a small catch. They’re e-books.

But if your family has a e-reader this might be the perfect way to get an unenthusiastic reader excited about reading. After all, they get to play with another techno-gadget.

To download the books go to www.namelos.com and locate one of these books:

ACCORDING TO KIT by Eugenie Doyle (2ce4) BMP_FS_8701_JT.indd

CITY OF CANNIBALS by Ricki Thompson (d35f)

THE DOG IN THE WOOD by Monika Schröder (3bd5)

WARRIORS IN THE CROSSFIRE by Nancy Bo Flood (2ac4)

On the book’s page, enter the code in parantheses after the book in the lower left hand corner box(under the list of prices) and click submit. You then have to provide your name and email address and select which format you want. Then you get an email with a link to the file to download. If you need a format not listed contact Stephen Roxburgh at BMP_FS_8474_JT.inddroxburgh@namelos.com

Feel free to contact Kent Brown, Executive Director of Highlights Foundation, Inc. at
KBrown@boydsmillspress.com to tell him what you liked(or didn’t like)about the promotion. But what’s not to like about free books?

My Dream Contest!

I never win contests but hope springs eternal! I would love to be able to choose a book a week for an entire year–like my TBR pile isn’t big enough already. Imagine the look on my husband’s face if I won this one.

bookpage